Known apparatuses of the above type include a holding blade to support a precut pocket patch thereon with its margin protruding from the blade, a pressure plate movable down over the holding blade to hold the patch in position and a separate frame surrounding the pressure plate and independently moving downwardly to fold the pocket patch margin around the holding blade and carrying folding blades to finally fold the patch.
It has been found very difficult with such an arrangement to properly fold the pocket patch to the required final shape and to apply it to the underlying garment, ready for sewing. The separate mounting and movement of the frame carrying the folding blades requires additional mechanisms with sufficient precision for the proper positioning of this frame with respect to the holding blade and pressure plate. It frequently results that the patch pocket is improperly shaped and its folding margin improperly folded.
Most pocket shapes require several folding blades: in known apparatuses, these blades are actuated by cylinder and piston units via an array of links and levers, resulting in a complicated and expensive means to effect the proper folding sequence.
When patterned fabric is used, the pattern in the garment panel must be aligned to the pattern on the pocket patch, in which case the external frame may obstruct the field of vision.